1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a support and storage apparatus for maintaining elastic fastening devices, such as bungee cords, of various lengths on a frame single external surface, that may or may not rotate about an axis, to provide visual identification of available fastening device lengths and access to the desired device.
Typically such elastic fastening devices have means for attaching the device at the ends. The attachment means may be an attached hook, or the attachment means may be an enclosed opening on the ends with a hook that may be attached or detachable. Such elastic fastening devices are of various lengths to accommodate restraining materials of different sizes or quantities, and they are reusable, so it is desirable to store them between uses.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of storage apparatus for fastening devices is known in the prior art. A characteristic of fastening devices is the flexibility of the device provides a tendency, when not in use and stored with similar devices, to become a tangled mass. Such a tangled mass takes time to remove an individual fastener from the mass when desired to use it. Also it is difficult to determine the length of a particular fastener when in the tangled state.
Examples of prior art storage apparatus are U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,787 (Odunnavant, Jr.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,060 (Towers). These storage apparatus make use of the fasteners attached to the ends of the fastening devices to maintain the fastener in a fixed position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,787 (Odunnavant, Jr.) attaches the fasteners in a U-shaped configuration on both sides of the center of a linear plane array using round dowel-like members on either side of a brace. The dowels and brace are fastened to support sides such that the configuration requires access to both sides of the linear plane array of fasteners to attach and disengage the storage device fastener. Also it is difficult to determine the length of a fastener attached to the apparatus, as the entire fastener is not visible in a single view. U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,060 (Towers) provides a linear plane array with multiple attachment cross arms intended to allow arranging the fasteners on one side or the other of the apparatus. This array however adds additional length to the apparatus. Both these apparatus require considerable storage room to accommodate the linear plane array of fasteners.
It is often desirable to store a set of fastening devices of various lengths in a portable manner for use in projects in the field, or projects in multiple locations. Storage in a truck bed, van interior, or hanging from the rack of a pickup truck or van interior is therefore desirable. The prior art takes up considerable space for such storage. What is needed is a compact storage apparatus for such use that provides ease of identifying the fastener length and provides ready access for installing or removing a fastener.